Just a Pawn
by JessIsTheBest
Summary: When I turned back around, an ominous man in a hoodie appeared, standing only a few feet away from me. You couldn't see his face, similar to the man in Assassin's Creed. A scream then echoed through the forest, but it took me a few seconds to realize that it was coming from me. Unsure of his intentions, I fled from the forest. He hadn't said a word, nor did he follow.
1. Prologue

Hola! New story alert, yay! I know, I have a sequel to be working on, and other stories to finish, but the 'plot bunnies' attacked me. I couldn't help myself, I had to write this!

New thing! At the beginning of each chapter, I will dedicate the chapter to a newer writer I enjoy, so you know who to check out! I will also list the story I liked most of theirs, so you know. Most of the time, they're Fabina.

Let's get this going, I really want to get a story with over 200 reviews, so I'm trying! That's my goal here, to get that!

**_This whole story is dedicated to 'Olivia94', who is the kind soul who gave me permission to use her mystery. It's originally a Psych FanFic, but I really loved it, so I brought it to you all here! Only some of the mystery concepts are mine here! But all of them are perfect for the Anubis students._**

So again, this mystery isn't mine entirely, but my own concepts are here as well! If you want to read the amazing Psych story she wrote with this mystery, go to her profile and click 'A Little Birdie Told Me'!

Also, author notes are always in the beginning. The story always starts after the quote :)

* * *

_Life has its own hidden forces which you can only discover by living._

_- Soren Kierkegaard_

* * *

**Prologue**

_Fabian's POV_

The last bell of the day finally rung, and everyone flung out of their seats, racing to the door. It only took a few mere seconds for the room to become empty, besides Nina and I. She smiled brightly at me, as she put her books into her bag. Neither of us ever rushed, it wasn't necessary. Plus, if we took our time, the halls were nearly empty when we stepped out of the classroom.

After I got everything into my bag, I gently took Nina's hand, and we headed out. We had started dating only a few months ago, and it's easy to say that they have been the best months of my life. Nina brightens my days, and lights my life up.

I could see a blush fall across Nina's cheeks, and I smiled to myself. Her blush was one of the most adorable things about her, and one of the many reasons I fell in love with her.

Neither of us had any reason to stop at our lockers, so we started our way out of the school. Like I said before, the halls were basically deserted, other than a few students.

"Hey Fabian, do you think you could help me with my Chemistry homework later?" Nina asked suddenly, glancing up at me. She gave me one of her famous smiles, and I planted a kiss on to her cheek. She quickly turned away, I could already see her cheeks burning up. I smiled again.

"Sure, Neens. Anything for you." I responded,grinning. She beamed at me again, and thanked me as we walked outside.

It had been getting colder and colder in Liverpool lately, and it finally started snowing. I had been wondering why people were staring out the windows throughout the day, but I never got a chance to look. Nina's smile grew wider, and she glanced up.

I beamed at her, and poked her cheek. She gazed back over at me; I could see wonder dancing around in her blue-green eyes.

"Race you to the house? First one there gets a minute start on their fort for a snowball fight." I declared, and her smile became devious, as she nodded. She let go of my hand, and before I could even say go, she ran towards the house.

"Hey, no fair!" I shouted after her, laughing as I tried to catch up to her.

"You never said there were rules!" She yelled back, continuing to speed ahead. I was never a great runner, and when we had to run the mile, most of the time I was way in the back, behind everyone. I wasn't a sporty sort of guy, like Mick. I would rather read then play football. Or soccer, as Americans call it.

I couldn't object, and I continued to chase after her, until she finally reached Anubis. I only got to the house a few seconds later, and I let out a loud sigh. She giggled at me before sitting on the ground, and beginning to build her fort.

"This is going to be one heck of a fight." I said quietly, before sitting a few feet away from Nina. She hadn't heard me; she was too focused on her building. I chuckled lightly to myself, before starting on my fort. I had waited about a minute, since I lost. I was not a cheater, and Nina would have probably yelled at me if I did cheat.

I decided on building a simple fort, one that wasn't too complex. I didn't have much time; Nina was already stacking snowballs behind her. For a girl who hardly saw snow, she could definitely arm herself for a snow war. She had told me she was from California, and the weather was always warm, so it never snowed.

Before I could finish, Nina threw a snowball straight at my face. I could hear laughter coming from her side of the yard. She was going to pay, whether she was my girlfriend or not.

Though I wasn't planning on throwing any straight at her face, I wasn't that devious. I knew Nina was, but you know.

I swiftly got together my own snowball, and threw it at her. She was able to duck, and her fort was able to save her. She peeked her head over, and stuck her tongue out at me, before chucking a ton of snowballs at me.

My simple fort was failing me. Nearly each snowball Nina threw at me was a hit. Eventually, I even fell over from the impact. I started laughing, how did I fail so badly? I was just thankful nobody but Nina was around to see my demise.

Nina laughed along with me, and came over to me, offering her hand. I gladly took it, and stood up. She kissed me quickly, before racing inside. I rolled my eyes at her, she was always moving. I smiled again to myself, before following after her.

* * *

As the two played in the snow together, a man that they couldn't see naughtily smiled to himself. His plans were working out great, he had everything arranged in his head. He snapped another picture, knowing that both Nina and Fabian wouldn't notice his existence. But they would soon enough, and that only made him smirk even more. He was just waiting for the fun to begin.

* * *

_One thousand words! And that's just a tiny prologue! I'm so proud of myself xD. Haha, so I hoped you enjoyed the Fabina there, because while Fabina is the main couple, you won't see much of them together. Sigh, just like season three. EW. I haven't watched it since it moved to TeenNick. I just watch the Fabina couple page on the Wiki for their moments xD. I'm so awesome. I'll watch it eventually._

_Any who, another one of my new traditions is starting here! If you review, either today or tomorrow, you will receive a preview of the next chapter! So, leave a review, and I will send that!_

_Also, as for the dedications, feel free to send me some newer writers in your review, even if it's yourself! I'll definitely look at their/your stories, I need plenty of writers for my dedications. I only have a few in mind at the moment. So send away!_

___~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

**_Next update: May 23rd, 2013_**


	2. Chapter 1

_**This chapter is dedicated to 'DefinitionOfAWriter', who is the writer of the fantastic story 'Scarred'! She is one of my favorite people on here, so check her out! :)**_

This story might switch point of views a lot, just warning you. Pay attention to the POV!

* * *

_All adventures, especially into new territory, are scary._

_- Sally Ride_

* * *

**Chapter One**

_Nina's POV_

After beating Fabian's butt in our snowball fight, I had made my way to my room, where Amber was sitting on her bed. She was mindlessly flipping through one of her magazines, circling things every now and then as she switched pages. I smiled slightly, and went to my bed, bringing my bag with me.

"So, I see you and Fabian were getting all feisty." Amber commented, right before I could get my homework out. I moved my gaze to her, and she grinned, putting her magazine down.

"Feisty? You mean us attacking each other with snow?" I questioned back at her, raising my eyebrow. How did she even know about that, was she watching us? I knew for a fact she left the school before us, and she never passed us during our fight.

"Mmhmm." Amber stated, nodding her head. "We were all watching you guys; Jerome actually started betting on who would win."

I don't know why, but that actually really ticked me off. They seriously had to watch us, making bets while we tried to have some fun? I never knew they were watching, and I doubted Fabian did either; we were too focused on the game.

"Seriously?"

"Well, yeah! I was the one that brought them over; they needed to see all the 'Fabina' cuteness! It really was adorable." Amber replied, smiling. I shook my head, and put my backpack down on the floor. I swiftly stood up.

"I didn't mean to upset you, Neens. I hope you know that." Amber said quietly, glancing towards me. I knew she didn't mean to take away our privacy, she was just being… Amber. I couldn't stay mad with my best British friend, and I smiled slightly.

"Its fine, Amber. I'll be back, yeah?" I said, and she nodded. I exited the room, and glided down the stairs. With the snow, I was definitely going to go back outside. Maybe I would take a walk, so I could admire the peaceful weather. My homework could wait.

I took my jacket from the rail, and slid it on. I had put it there to dry, since it had gotten wet from the snow. I was only inside for only about twenty minutes, and it seemed to already be dry.

Before I could step outside, two arms snaked around me. I gazed up, smiling at the familiar face. He returned the smile, and kissed the top of my forehead. I could feel my cheeks burn up, but I didn't glance away.

"Hey Neens. Where are you goin'?" He asked, keeping his gorgeous smile in place.

"Outside, on a walk. Do-"

This always happened. Someone interfered. Before I could ask him to tag along, Joy sprang into the room, sending her own glare right towards us. It was more directed towards me, and I knew the reason why. She was so jealous, and she wouldn't move on. Fabian told her she needed to let him go, but she refused to accept that Fabian was taken.

"Fabian, I need you!" Joy shouted, putting on her fake, polite smile. Fabian sighed, and moved his arms away from me, turning around to face the rude brunette-haired girl. I turned as well, biting my lip. Her glare was now gone, only sweetness remaining.

Fabian gazed over at me, and I nodded for him to go. It wasn't his fault, it was hers. She always did this, she always broke us apart. It bothered me, but I was never going to stand up to her. She had made my life a living hell before, and I didn't want her to do it again.

Fabian kissed my cheek before following Joy. I frowned slightly, and headed outside, closing the door quietly behind me.

The snow had stoppedfalling, but the ground was covered still in a white blanket. I smiled;the snow was just so pretty. It made the whole area sparkle, and seem more scenic.

I instantly wondered how the nearby forest looked with all the snow. I knew the trees didn't have any leaves, but it was probably still beautiful. I decided to take my walk out there, so I could see what it all looked like.

I quickly switched my path, and made my way to the woods. Unlike in the summer, the ground wasn't muddy. There was only snow, which didn't bother me. I had my boots on, so it made no difference in my walk. I just admired it.

The forest did look beautiful with all the snow. It started lightly snowing again, creating the most picture-perfect nature scene. I wish I had brought my camera; it was such a flawless shot.

After the second mystery, and Senkhara was banished, I eventually enrolled myself into the school's photography class. Fabian had joined with me, even though he didn't exactly favor the skill. But he claimed he wanted to be with me, so he didn't mind. And half the time we were doing partner projects, so he managed.

Just in the few months I had been with Fabian, a lot of things changed for me. After the mystery, I was a bit down, and a bit overly cautious with things. Fabian thought it was a bit of post-traumatic stress disorder, but I believed it wasn't that serious.

Eventually, while we dated, all the scary feelings went away. I just forgot about them, they didn't matter. Senkhara was gone, and she took Rufus with her. There was nothing left to worry about.

As if irony was waiting to strike, a rustle suddenly came from the bushes behind me. I jumped slightly, swiftly pivoting my feet, to see who was there. I didn't see anyone though, the forest seemed empty.

If you ever played Slender, then you can realize how scary it is to feel hunted**.** Imagine it in real-life.

When I turned back around, about a few feet away, a guy in a hoodie stood. You couldn't see his face, similar to the guy in Assassin's Creed. I screamed, before running out of the woods, unsure of why the guy was there. He hadn't said a word, nor did he follow.

He watched as Nina ran away, cursing to himself. Why did he think that would work? Of course she was going to leave, she wasn't going to stick around and let him attack! What kind of fool was he?

He had managed to give her quite a scare, which was the only thing he was thankful for. Though he was also thankful that he had created a back-up plan to fall back on, which he would resort to soon.

The game was about to begin.

* * *

_As we see, chapters will probably be around 1000 words. It is a shame, when I was writing 'House of Delusion', each chapter was 2,000. What do you guys think, are these sized chapters okay? I think quality is more important than quantity. But I want to know what you think!_

_Make sure to leave a review, and I'll send you a preview!_

_Also, another new thing shall start! If I reach a certain amount reviewers (set by me), the story shall be posted early (probably a day or two, depending on how many we get ;)). As of now, the story will be updated WEEKLY, every Thursday. If we get to the review goal, it will be posted either Tuesday or Wednesday. Are you getting the trend that reviews make things better? ;)_

_And when I say overall, I mean it includes the last chapter reviews as well. And yes, the goal is pretty high up there. It's just a way of saying that if you give a word, I'll reward you :)_

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

**_Next update: May 30th, 2013_**

**_Early Update: May 28th or 29th, 2013_**

**_Goal required: 20 reviews overall_**


	3. Chapter 2

**_This chapter is dedicated to the writer '__PurpleDucks5__', who writes the story 'The One Who Knows'. It is one of the greatest stories I have read with third-person point of view. Check that one out! :)_**

* * *

_I believe much trouble would be saved if we opened our hearts more._

_- Chief Joseph_

* * *

**Chapter Two**

_Fabian's POV_

"Fabian, seriously. All you do is read!" Amber yelled at me from across the room, shaking her head. "You really should be off making Fabina memories!"

"She's on a walk, Amber. You know if she was here, we would be doing something." I stated, keeping most of my attention to my book. After I had helped Joy with her homework, I had come back into the living room, and started reading. Literally only seconds later, Amber started complaining.

I knew Joy had a thing against Nina, and it bothered me that I had to help her. I couldn't say no to her, I would feel terrible. But I hated how she treated her; Nina never did anything to her. I know it has to do with us being together, but why couldn't she understand that I loved her? Joy and I had been great friends, and I liked it that way, but she couldn't keep it like that. She just kept pushing for a relationship she wasn't ever going to get.

"Why didn't you go with her? Fabian, she's an innocent, oblivious girl who always gets into trouble! She could die!" Amber, who wasapparently my relationship coach, shouted, crossing her arms. "If my best American friend gets killed, I'm forever blaming you!"

I glanced at the ground, cringing at my decision. I should have gonewith my girlfriend, not her enemy. Joy could have easily done the homework herself; she always aced the tests in the class. But I didn't have the guts to say no, and Nina didn't seem mad about it.

Just then, the door slammed open, and I quickly turned my head. Nina had just walked in, but she looked quite startled. She abruptly shut the door, and I noticed how fast she locked it. Was somebody after her? Those were the key signs when someone was chasing you.

I quickly sprang up, and ran over to her, Amber following me. Nina eyed both of us, before she set her jacket on the railing. The first thing I noticed was that her hand had a cut on it, as well as fresh blood surrounding it.

If somebody attacked her, I swear…

"Nina, what happened?" I questioned softly, my eyes staying near her hand. Amber noticed my gaze and glanced over as well, and frowned to herself. She probably had the same ideas. Amber was ditzy at times, but she was also very smart, which we all figured out through Sibuna. She knew what she was doing.

Nina hadn't seemedto notice the blood dripping from her hand, until she saw us both staring. She made a face, and sighed.

"Let me get some bandages… Meet me in your room, yeah?" I asked, and she quickly nodded, before disappearing up the stairs.

I didn't have my own first-aid kit, so I went in search of one. Amber followed me, trying to help. Neither of us could find one though, thankfully we bumped into Trudy.

"Hello loves, do you need something?" She asked cheerfully, holding a basket of laundry. Amber and I flashed her a small smile, before we nodded.

"Nina hurt her hand, and we need the first-aid kit. Do you know where it is?" Amber questioned, returning the enthusiasm Trudy offered. Even though it wasn't a happy situation, Amber always seemed to be cheerful. The girl hardly ever frowned.

Trudy, concerned, put the laundry basket down,before leading the two of us to Victor's office. She grabbed it from one of his desk drawers, and handed it to me. I thanked her, before making my way to Nina's room.

When we both arrived, Nina was already sound asleep, her bleeding hand set in front of her. I smiled slightly; she looked so beautiful when she slept.

Though she always looked beautiful to me.

I moved a chair over to her bedside, and sat down, opening up the first-aid kit. There were a bunch of different things in it, but I knew everything inside. My father was a doctor, and he taught me everything I would ever need to know.

I gently put her hand on top of mine, and grabbed one of the alcohol wipes. I swiftly opened the package up, and wiped the blood of her hand. She made a face in her sleep, it probably stung. I frowned slightly, and moved it away.

"Yeah, I'm going to go now…" Amber whispered behind me, before exiting the room. I could understand, a lot of people weren't really fond of blood, which the wipe was full of. I didn't enjoy it either, but Nina mattered more.

I shot the wrapper into the garbage bag, and reached out to the kit, taking the anti-infection/anti-pain spray. I knew this stuff stung, and I knew she was asleep, but she would need it either way. I quickly sprayed her cut, and this time, she didn't react. I was glad it didn't bother her, or even wake her, the stuff always hurt me.

I threw the spray back in the kit, grasped the bandages, and gently wrapped her hand up. It only took me a minute, I had lots of practice. When my little sister, Elise, got a cut, she always had me treat her. She loved our dad, but she seemed to be closer with me. I didn't mind, I loved Elise, she was the best little sister someone could have. I would easily take a bullet for her, just like I would for Nina.

After I set her hand down, and pulled the covers over her, I closed up the kit.

That's when I noticed her diary was sitting open, the pen still sitting near it. She must have been writing in it, before she fell asleep.

Making sure she was still sleeping, I cautiously took her diary, being as quiet as possible. She stirred slightly, but only rolled to the side, her eyes now facing the other way.

It was wrong to look at it, I know, but I thought maybe it would say something about what happened. Amber would probably kill me, alongside Nina. If it was something dangerous, I would have no choice but to talk to the two about it.

I slowly started reading the words on the page, guiltiness attacking me at each one.

_Today started out great, but it ended a bit freaky. After school, I got to go outside, and it was snowing! Like, actual snow was coming from the sky! Yeah, sad, I know, but I hardly ever saw snow out of the movies._

_Fabian and I got into a snow battle though, and I beat his butt! But he was so adorable, even though he was being pelted to death._

_But eventually I took a walk, when Amber kind of upset me. She said that the whole house was watching Fabian and me, the whole house! And Jerome even started betting on who would win! How ridiculous is that? It was a complete invasion of privacy._

I bit my lip. At this very moment, I was stealing Nina's privacy right from her. I was tempted to put it down, but I knew if I kept going, I would see what happened. I kept going.

_Any who, I had heard something behind me, and when I looked, nothing was there! But then I turned back forward, and this hooded guy was just standing there! That's when I realized I saw him before, lots of times! This wasn't the first encounter!_

_I ran away, but I ended up tripping, which is how I scratched my hand up._

…

_I think I'm being stalked, I know I have seen him before. What if he's after me?_

This is why I read on.

Who the hell would be stalking Nina? This can't have anything to do with her being the 'Chosen One', can it? It doesn't add up, the teachers don't wear hoods like that!

Though during their special ceremonies, they did. But they long retired from that. The tears are gone.

My first reaction was putting the diary back just how it was, and rushing to find Amber. I had to tell her what was going on, Nina could end up hurt.

I searched around the whole house, trying to find her. I eventually bumped into Alfie, who told me she had gone out to the movies with Joy. I let out a sigh, and went into my room, slamming the door.

I would have to wait for her to return.

* * *

_Woo guys, we just reached 20 reviews last chapter! :) Yay! Hence the early update :) You can thank artsoccer for that! _

_As always, leave a review, and get a preview in your inbox!_

_I've been getting 10 reviews a chapter, that's fantastic! But if we want to make it over my current self-record {160something}, we gotta pick it up! Next goal will be 11 reviews instead of 10! Can we do it? Let's see :)_

_I know I sound like a review-hogging creep, I just really love hearing about my story! And you are rewarded for it, so meh! _

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

**_Next update: June 5th, 2013_**

**_Early Update: June 4th, 2013_**

**_Goal required: 31 reviews overall_**


	4. Chapter 3

**_This chapter is dedicated to '__JaylaHeart__', who is helping me with editing this story! She has been so great, if you ever need help with your story, she is your girl!_**

* * *

_A good many dramatic situations begin with screaming._

_- Jane Fonda_

* * *

**Chapter Three**

_Nina's POV_

A faint tapping on my window woke me up. I didn't even remember when I fell asleep, I must have just conked out. I slowly sat up, and examined my hand. Who had wrapped it up? I know I didn't, it must have been Fabian. Amber definitely wouldn't have dealt with blood, and Trudy would have woken me up.

But what was that tapping?

I brought my face up to the window, and saw absolutely nothing, other than the moon and the twinkling stars surrounding it. It was another perfect picture moment, but I was too exhausted to find my camera, I was only up because of some strange noise.

Right as I moved my head away from the window, someone's foot smashed through it, and shards of glass shot everywhere. I thankfully had been able to defend my face, and my sleeves kept the glass from hitting my skin.

I was too shocked to scream, and only watched as a stranger crept into the room, dressed in all black. The man had the same hoodie on that I saw earlier, and his face was hidden. Even if you flashed a light at him, you would only be able to see his eyes at most.

That was definitely the guy! He was the one in the forest, the one who followed me on multiple occasions! Why was he after me? What did I do? This couldn't be one of the teachers; they wouldn't go this far to break into my room!

The man held up a towel he had brought with him, and sprayed it with some sort of substance. I could somehow see a smirk fall onto his face, as he started his way toward me.

I wouldn't let him win. I had to somehow make my way downstairs, and have someone help. My voice was gone, useless. My fear had stolen it from me.

Amber was, sadly, nowhere to be found. She had told me that she was going to a movie tonight, but she should be back by now. I just assumed she was with Alfie; she snuck down there from time to time.

Before the guy could slap the towel over me, I kicked him where it hurt, causing him to tumble to the ground. I was surprised he didn't scream, but I could see his face distorted from pain. I had to protect myself; I was the only one here who could save me.

"You really think nobody will hear you?" I whispered harshly, crossing my arms. When I was in danger, my mouth somehow always got the best of me. It sounded a lot like Patricia's usual attitude towards things.

The man didn't say anything. Instead, he reached his hand outside of the window, and grabbed something. I wasn't sure what it was, but I quickly looked around for something to hit him with, but we had nothing. The sharpest thing we had was a mechanical pencil.

I scurried around to try and find something, but my thoughts dispersed when something hit me, knocking me to the ground. Only then did my voice react, and let out a scream. My vision started blurring, and I could see that it was a bat thathe hit me with. He raised it up again, and with the second hit, I was out.

_Amber's POV_

Iperked up from Alfie's bed, where we had been lying down, watching a movie. I knew Iwas supposed to besleeping, but it was the perfect time to have a late-night date. It wasn't much, a few snacks and some popcorn, but it was enough for me.

"You alright, Ambs?" Alfie questioned metiredly, half-asleep. I giggled at his sleepy tone, but went back to focusing on what I heard. I swore I heard somebody scream within the house, but I wasn't sure if it was real or not. I hadn't been paying attention to the movie; it could have easily been that.

"Yeah, I thought I heard a scream." I whispered, getting to my feet. Alfie brought his hand towards me, and brought me back down, which made me erupt into more giggles. He kissed my temple, and wrapped his arm around me.

"It was the movie, Amber. Nobody screamed." Alfie murmured, putting the blankets over us. He shut his laptop off, and set it carefully on the floor.

I nodded slowly, before closing my eyes.

_One of the shortest chapters you'll see. But that's okay, you got some extra Amfie, which I added in! I thought it would be better to have 800ish words than 500ish words._

_Remember, send in a review, and a preview of the next chapter will magically poof into your inbox! Just like magic!_

_We were so close to an early post last time, reaching 28 reviews! Ack _ Imma lower the number down this week, to nine! Can we do it? :) Also, the early update will be two days before instead of one! :D_

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

_**Next update: June 12th, 2013**_

_**Early update: June 10th, 2013**_

_**Goal required: 37 reviews overall**_


	5. Chapter 4

**_This chapter is dedicated to '__FabianRutterFan__', who is the writer of the story 'Across the Ocean'! I really enjoy reading that one, so take a peeksie!_**

* * *

_Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned._

_- Buddha_

* * *

**Chapter Four**

_Amber's POV_

Around five in the morning, I slowly snuck out of Alfie's room, and into mine. I had fallen asleep right after he told me nobody screamed, but I wasn't completely convinced. But that was hours ago, and I'm sure whatever it was, it didn't matter anymore.

Victor was asleep in his office, and I quietly moved passed it, heading into the girls' hallway. (I didn't understand why he slept here anyways, didn't he have a home? I know he's old and in need of lotion, but shouldn't he have a wife and kids? But gross, that would mean that he would have had to have had sex. Who would want sex with Victor? Ew!)

Once I realized I'd gotten distracted, I threw the idea out of my head, and put my mind back on the mission. I then slowly opened the door to Nina's and my room. I felt slightly bad about leaving her yesterday, but I didn't want to say no to Alfie's plans. He already had the popcorn and candy set out, I couldn't resist!

I decided not to go back to bed, and to get ready, so I flipped on the lights.

That's when I realized the scream had come from the in thehouse.

_Fabian's POV_

I was up early, I wasn't sure why, but I just was. Sometimes my mind woke me up, but usually there was a reason behind it. This time, it just seemed like nothing. Maybe I had had a bad dream, and just couldn't remember it.

I decided to go get something to eat; five in the morning was the best time to do so. Nobody was downstairs yet, so the food was easy to take. In about an hour, you would hardly be able to grab yourself an apple without chaos.

I would have started playing my guitar, but both Eddie and Mick were asleep. That's right; people were in our room now. They added an extra bed, making the room extremely cramped. I personally didn't mind them both in the room, but Mick and Eddie seemed to have some sort of disagreement with each other. I have yet to figure it out.

I cautiously made my way to the kitchen, trying to keep quiet. If I knocked something over, everyone would rush in, and I would lose my chances.

Suddenly, a scream bounced off all the walls. I wasn't sure who it came from, but I was positive it was from upstairs. I quickly ran out of the room, and raced upstairs. Mara was already out in the hallway, seeming confused. It must have been Amber… or Nina.

Nina… What if she was hurt? What if that guy came and took her away? This would be entirely myfault; I didn't try hard enough to keep her safe!

I sprinted over to Amber and Nina's door, and nearly opened the door.

Amber was standing still, seeming to be frozen in place. Her eyes were glued to Nina's bed, which she was absent from. Taking her place was blood, soaked straight into the sheets. There was also a towel lying on the floor, drenched in some substance.

Also near Nina's bed, the window was broken, and glass covered the floor. I dropped the apple from my hand, and Amber turned to face me. Her eyes were already puffy, and tears were free-falling down her cheeks.

Mara made her way into the room, followed by Joy and Patricia. I could hear them gasp from behind me, but I couldn't find any words.

He took her.

He freaking took her.

Nina was up here struggling, and I was asleep, dreaming about whatever the hell I was dreaming about. How did I not hear what was going on? How did Mara, straight down the hallway, not hear a peep come from Nina's mouth? How did she manage to disappear without any one of us noticing?

"Dammit, this is my fault!" I murmured angrily, before my rage got the best of me, and my fist pounded on to the wall. Amber's gaze immediately shot over to me, as well as the other three girls.

They never expect me to lash out; they think I'm this quiet, geek sort of person. I mean, I am that person, but when someone messes with Nina, or really any of my friends, that person is gone. He isreplaced with someone who seeks revenge, and is willing to do _anything_ to get Nina or one of his other friends back.

My hand felt numb at first, but soon a pain surged through it, making me grimace. I could already see my knuckles turning a mix of purple and blue.

"I'm going to go get Trudy." Mara murmured behind me, quietly exiting the room. Joy left with her; I didn't want her presence anyways. She hated Nina, and I doubt she cared one bit that she was gone. She was probably happy about it, which sickened me.

How was I going to get Nina back? With all the mysteries we had, they always started with a clue. There was absolutely no clue here, just blood and a towel, soaked with what seemed to be chloroform.

"Want me to go get you ice, Fabian?" Someone asked from behind me, and I turned to face them. It was Patricia, who had a sympathetic, but sorrowful expression hung on her face. I knew she cared about Nina, even though at the beginning, they weren't very fond of each other. But she never really stooped to Joy's level, Joy went too far.

I nodded silently, and Patricia exited the room.

"Do you know anything of what happened? Did she talk about anything suspicious?" Amber questioned, with calmness and consideration in her voice. That's another thing I enjoyed about Amber, she cared for people. Another trait Joy lacked.

But I didn't want to answer that question. I knew the answer, but I wasn't going to admit it. First off, she would kill me for looking in Nina's diary. But second, she wouldn't be able to do anything with the information. A hooded man? How was that going to get us anywhere?

"She knew something was wrong." I mumbled, before leaving the room myself. I couldn't stand to look at the scene any longer.

* * *

_Haha, VERY early update. It's three AM xD Happy Summer!_

_Aww, angry Fabian shows up. Just like the season three beginning. I never watched past the TeenNick change, it just doesn't entertain me anymore. But if Nina comes back for the possible season four, I will be all excited and happy. FABINA! If they break Fabina up, I will kill them… Oh wait, they are already broken up… If they don't get them back together, then I will murder them! There we go, that works!_

_Yeah... That's not going to happen. But Fara is! ... {Dies}_

_Hehe, I would never murder anyone. I would just sulk in the corner…_

_Want to see the next chapter early? Well, you can't see it all, but I will grant you the wish of a preview! Send me a review, and a preview will magically appear in your inbox! Yay for you, an advance ticket into the show!_

_We were **one **review off of getting the early release, so close :/. But I'm keeping the number at nine! Damn, I'm never going to reach my goal... I'm also disappointed that only **eight** people are following this story. Once again, I don't want to be an attention-seeking whore, but I really thought this story would be enjoyed... Just slightly disappointing :/_

_Also, I now have a trailer up for 'Just a Pawn'! Check it out on my profile :) And a surprise trailer will be posted soon, for a special story coming out! Hehe! Plenty of you will be excited ;)_

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

**_Next update: June 19th, 2013_**

**_Early update: June 17th, 2013_**

**_Goal required: 45 reviews overall (Despite me wanting 50 at this point...)_**


	6. Chapter 5

_**This chapter is dedicated to 'NINAXFABIAN', who writes the fabulous story 'I Don't Care'. It has a lot of chapters, but has a plot worth reading!**_

* * *

_Fear is static that prevents me from hearing myself._

_- Samuel Butler_

* * *

**Chapter Five**

_Nina's POV_

I slowly came to my senses, but kept my eyes shut. Where was I? I had no recognition of what hadhappened, but I knew I wasn't at Anubis, the room was way too cold. I could also feel a throbbing pain in the back of my head, and I knew something wasn't right.

It took me nearly a minute to remember last night. The hooded man came into my room, and slammed a bat down on me. Twice. It explained why I wasn't at Anubis, and I noticed that my head was killing me as time moved forward.

I opened my eyes slowly, taking in my surroundings. There was nothing to try and recognize, the room was bare. All it had was white walls, and absolutely no furniture or windows. Just a door that was bolted shut.

It was a brilliant place to keep a hostage.

I tried to move around, but I felt completely numb. I was lying on the floor, with my hands and ankles tied together. Where did he think I was going to go? Even if I didn't have my ankles constricted, I probably wouldn't be able to walk. I could already feel myself bruising from the rope.

I should have told Fabian what had happened. I had resorted to my diary instead, not wanting to explain what had happened. I would have sounded like a complete idiot. He wouldn't have believed me, and I would have just embarrassed myself.

But there was a chance he would have stayed with me, and I wouldn't be here, I would be safe in Fabian's arms. I longed for that to be the reality of it all, for this to be a dream, but I knew it was real. Otherwise I wouldn't be encountering the pain I was in.

I began to sulk in my own misery, until the hooded man came in. He smiled deviously; the lower part of his face was visible. His eyes were still a mystery, and I assumed he would keep it that way.

"I'm glad you came to, Martin. I was concerned you were dead." The man sneered, chuckling darkly. I didn't say anything; I wasn't going to give into him. I know Fabian wouldn't want me to do that, unless he was threatening my life, or someone else's. That was the only time you should ever give in to the bad guy.

"Not going to speak? Fine by me." The man scoffed, before kicking me straight in the gut. I groaned loudly, my arms instantly going in front of my stomach. The impact made me feel like I was going to be sick.

He snickered to himself, keeping his eyes on me, and pacing around me. I glanced at him for a second, and he reached down and slapped me, making me yelp. He continued to laugh, before he kicked me in the jaw.

"The beginning hasn't even started, child." He murmured, giving me a smirk. The pain overwhelmed me, and colors flashed before my eyes, until they turned into nothing, leaving me in another state of unconsciousness.

_Fabian's POV_

Hardly anyone was going to school. Almost everyone at Anubis, including me, was worried sick about what was going on. Only Mick and Joy decided to go to school, which aggravated me. Mick, my best mate, didn't care at all her. AndJoy?I'm not even going to go into the hate I feel for her. We used to be friends. Personally, I missed those days she was a kind-hearted person, who cared for others. Now, she was a self-centered bully, who didn't care about the people around her. She only cared about her goals.

Amber had called a Sibuna meeting, and everyone got together in Patricia's room. Nobody wanted to step into Amber and Nina's room; nothing had been cleaned or moved. Trudy had called the police, so they insisted that nothing was changed.

I knew the police weren't ever going to find her. We knew from our past experiences that we couldn't trust them. We'd have to find her ourselves.

"Okay, so why are we having a meeting?" Patricia stated, closing the door behind her. She was the last one tocome in, the rest of us were all on the floor, in a circle. She sat down next to Amber, and glanced next to her. There was an empty spot. She quickly turned away.

Nobody could ever take away Nina's place.

"Nina's gone, Patricia!" I exclaimed, glancing at her. She bit her lip, and gazed down. I knew I shouldn't be letting my anger go loose, and definitely on friends, but I couldn't help it. I always had that problem; I tended to lash out when I got angry. But I hardly lashed out, because I never really got upset.

"Sorry… But what does Sibuna have to do with that?" Patricia questioned back, bringing her head back up. Everyone's eyes then moved to me, waiting for a response.

"Because I know who took her." I murmured, taking my bag. I could tell nobody moved their eyes, and I carefully took out Nina's diary. Before I could even start explaining, Amber started yelling.

"Fabian, you read her diary? What kind of boyfriend are you! Ew, if Alfie did that, I'd break up with him in an instant!" Amber complained, shaking her head.

"I would never read your diary, baby!" Alfie said, before he kissed Amber quickly. She giggled, before kissing him herself. I bring a meeting together for Nina's disappearance, and they just start snogging in front of us? I should just be figuring this out myself; I'd get farther at this point. Well, Patricia was always helpful, so I couldn't really say anything about her.

"Really you two?" I remarked, quickly becoming aggravated.

"I took the diary because I knew something was wrong! Listen!" I shouted desperately, and Alfie and Amber looked back at me. I opened to the end of her diary, and started reading what it said to them. I skipped until she read her description about the man.

_"…I had heard something behind me, and when I looked, nothing was there! But then I turned back forward, and this hooded guy was just standing there! That's when I realized I saw him before, lots of times! This wasn't the first encounter."_ I read, making sure that I wasn't missing any words. A wave of sadness ran through me as I read her handwriting, I missed her so much already.

_"…I think I'm being stalked, I know I have seen him before. What if he's after me?"_I mumbled, feeling worse as I finished her entry. I could feel my eyes watering, so I gazed down. This was really all my fault, I really didn't try hard enough. I failed my job as a boyfriend. She could get killed because of me.

"At least we have something, Fabian." Amber whispered, a frown forming over her face. What were we going to do?

* * *

_Aww, sad/angry Fabian. The many emotions of Fabian Rutter! I really like exploring him as a character, they never do that in the show! We don't even know about his family! _

_Reviews mean love (dots mean hate, ooooo), so post one! If you do, magically a preview will show up in your inbox! Yay for chu!_

_We got eleven reviews last time guys, thank you so much! That made me feel awesome :) And haha, that's why I'm updating two days early, woohoo! But I'll expect you guys to keep it up... Hehe ;)_

_Also, we now have **twelve **people following the story, and **nine** people who favorited it! Thank you guys so much, the results of the last chapter really helped :) Though, I did notice that seventy people have me on alerts... Does that mean you get alerts for any chapter posted, or just when I have a new one? I don't follow authors typically, so I'd like to know :)_

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

**_Next update: June 24th, 2013_**

**_Early update: June 22th, 2013_**

**_Goal required: 57 reviews overall_**

**_If we get 60 reviews, I will post THREE days early, so the 21st. Only four days from now! Hehe, I'll put that out there. That's just a extra bonus._**


	7. Chapter 6

**_This chapter is dedicated to '__hipster5ever__', who is the best person ever! She talks to me all the time, and is very loyal towards my stories! So check her out :) She isn't a writer, but she is definitely a girl you can fangirl with :D_**

* * *

_Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret._

_- Ambrose Bierce_

* * *

**Chapter Six**

_Amber's POV_

"Nina, shut your phone off…" I murmured, throwing the covers back over me. My phone was dead, so it had to be hers.

That's when I remembered she wasmissing; she couldn't pick up the phone. So I slowly moved the covers away, and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. Who would be calling her so late at night? I knew that her American friends knew she was here, so they wouldn't call this late. And none of us here would call her. Her Gran also knew better.

I leaped to my feet, and bounced over to Nina's desk, taking a peek at her phone. It began to blink on and off, and a static noise started, becoming louder and louder with each passing second.

What the heck was wrong with her phone? This couldn't be a call; I knew Nina's buzz tone! And it definitely did not sound like a broken television, or anything else! Was it maybe a clue towards her disappearance?

I decided it was best to show Fabian, so I grabbed the phone;andput my hand over the speaker so the noise died down. If I was going to get past Victor's office unnoticed, I was going to have to be super quiet. I swore he had ears like a hawk, he could sense things from a mile away.

After glancing left and right, I entered the hallway. I knew nobody was up, it was _way_ too early. I should be asleep too, but Nina's stupid phone decided to have a seizure. It was still making the static noise, as well as blinking. What was it, hexed?

That automatically reminded of when Nina hexed everyone. Fabian lost his memory, Alfie became a baby, Patricia lost her voice, and I became old. That was a nightmare; there were so many crinkles on my face! A gallon of moisturizer wasn't enough to fix it!

When I got towards Victor's office, I was glad he was asleep. I easily slipped past his office unnoticed, and glided down the stairs. It only took me about twelve seconds to get to Fabian's door. Perfect, unnoticed! Amber, you are a genius!

I brought Nina's phone up to my eyes, it was continuing to have its seizure. I pounded my fist on Fabian's door, and waited for one of the three boys to come out. I just hoped Fabian was the one that came to the door, so I wouldn't have to explain what was going on to Mick and Eddie. Neither of them knew about Sibuna, despite Eddie being the Osirian. He was focusing more on his relationship with Patricia. I thought that was so sweet, this is why I shipped Peddie!

_Okay Amber, focus._

After waiting about a minute, I brought my fist back to the door, and knocked loudly.

"Coming!" A voice mumbled from the other side, sleepiness obviously coaxing their voice. I wasn't sure which of the boys had said it, they were too quiet.

The phone suddenly let out a soft scream, and I screamed with it, dropping it. The door immediately swung open, and someone's hand grabbed the phone.

To my luck, it was Fabian.

"Amber? What's going on?" Fabian whispered tiredly, before gazing at the phone. He closed the door gently behind him, making sure not to make any noise.

I handed him the phone, and his face turned to one of confusion when he took it, trying to figure out what was wrong with it. He then nearly dropped it himself when it screamed again. I covered my ears- how was nobody else hearing this? It was so loud!

Well, nobody heard Nina's scream either. Maybe we were all just heavy-sleepers.

"What the heck, Amber? Is this Nina's phone?" Fabian questioned, once it went back to the static noise. I nodded, slowly moving my hands from my ears. I hope it doesn'tscream again, it was beginning to give me a headache!

Suddenly, the phone screenwent completely black,andthen flickered on, and a loud laugh came from it. Soon, a hooded man was visible. You couldn't see anything on his face, other than his mouth. You could see a smirk forming, and he stepped back. It was a video feed.

I could see Fabian starting to glare at the screen.

Was that the man who took Nina? She said it was "Ahooded man,"maybe this was the guy!

"What do you want? Where is Nina?" Fabian sneered, tightening his grip on the phone. The man on the other end only snickered, and moved his camera, revealing Nina lying on the floor. She was sound asleep, but there was a pile of blood on the floor, near her head.

What was this creep doing to my best friend?

"Let her go!" Fabian yelled harshly, but he managed to keep his voice down. His face was twisted with dark anger, as if he was ready to stick his hand into the phone, and strangle the man holding Nina captive. It scared me a bit, he never looked so… Threatening.

The man didn't say a single word yet, only laughing at Fabian's angry pleads.

How did he even manage to hack Nina's phone? Did he do it when he took her?

"I don't think you're in any place to boss me around, Rutter." The man finally spoke, his voice as sinister as Fabian's expression. How did he know Fabian's last name? Did he know all of us already? If he really was stalking Nina like she thought, did he stalk us as well?

"How do you know my name?" Fabian barked, still trying to manage his voice volume. I couldn't understand how he was dealing with this, I couldn't bare it if Alfie was taken. He had become my everything; I wouldn't stand to see him gone.

"It's not that hard to figure out," The man stated coldly, fixing the camera back so it was completely on him. "This video is just to tell you, the worst hasn't even begun."

The video began to start fading out, and I could tell Fabian was ready to smash the phone against the wall. What did he mean, 'The worst hasn't even begun'? What was this to him, a game?

"What is your name? Why are you doing this?" I shouted, ready for answers. He wasn't giving us anything, but yet I could tell he wanted us to bea part of this!

"Mr. A." He whispered, before the video vanished completely, leaving us with nearly nothing.

* * *

_You just imagine the frustration of this, being able to see everything, but not do anything. I would be so mad, all the fury that I never showed, just bursting out of me. I don't get angry very much, like Fabian, but if I do, I get the feeling to punch the wall. It's just how I work. I imagine Fabian sometimes works that way as well._

_Anyway, reviews mean you care, so please leave one! Then somehow, the magical preview fairy will zoom over to your inbox, and leave a preview for the next chapter!_

_We actually got PAST 60 reviews, thanks to Lady Cougar-Trombone! Thank you so much :D But yay for you guys, you get an early update!_

_I love updating so early... But this story is going to finish WAY earlier than I want. So... Regular updates are now TEN days, while early updates are a week. Sorry, but I want a new story written before this finishes, and I hardly even started!_

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

**_Next update: July 1st, 2013_**

**_Early update: June 28th, 2013_**

**_Reviews required: 73 reviews overall_**


	8. Chapter 7

**_This chapter is dedicated to '__water wolf 100__', who is the writer of many HOA stories, one of my favorites being 'A walk in the rain'. They don't write here anymore, but check them out, they have some really great stories :)_**

**_Note: This chapter was originally posted unedited, by accident. This has been fixed._**

* * *

_To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless._

_- Gilbert K. Chesterton_

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

_Fabian's POV_

School seemed to lag on for hours, Trudy had made us return. I could hardly pay attention; all I thought about was Nina. Seeing her lying there, not even conscious, really hurt. I couldn't help her; she was stuck with that man, Mr. A. What did he want with her? What did she ever do to deserve this?

Amber continued to sit with Alfie during classes, leaving an empty seat next to me. It drove me crazy, knowing that thatwas Nina's spot, and that was where she was supposed to be. Joy tried to sit there, but thankfully Patricia saved me, and called her over. Joy was one of the last people I wanted to see.

During last period, I nearly ran out. The teacher was talking about kidnappings, which was completely inconsiderate. Didn't she know about Nina's disappearance? The whole school had found out, Mr. Sweet had announced it. How could she be so cruel, teaching that while one of her own students was missing? I should have reported her for it.

As soon as the bell rung, everyone stood up, and raced out of the room. Like usual, I stayed behind, taking my time to get my belongings ready. Even though Amber and I were waiting for another call, I refused to step foot into the busy hallway. It would take me even longer to get out of the school if I didn't take my time.

After my stuff was together, I moved my way into the hallway, which was only somewhat crowded. I felt so alone as I traveled through the remaining students, my hand holding on to nothing. Nina belonged with me right now, and her hand belonged in mine. She shouldn't be in the lair of some psychopath that won't even let us see his face. Who did he think he was, Ezio Auditore da Firenze?*

I stopped over to my locker, and put my backpack in. I wasn't planning on doing any homework, all my time was going into finding Nina. She mattered more than anything, including myself. My teachers would need to understand that she was my focus right now, not some crummy math homework.

I slammed my locker closed in frustration, and made my way out of the school. I could sense a few people eyeing me as I walked towards the exit, and I realized a few tears had made their way down my face. I quickly swiped them away, and went outside.

I slowly started my way to the house, sorting things through my head. There had to be some sort of way to get Nina back, right? She couldn't just be gone forever, there had to be a way. There was always a way. I needed to get her back, and I wouldn't stop until I did.

"Hey Fabes!" Joy exclaimed, sitting down next to me, a huge smile on her face. While Amber and I were waiting for a call (That might never even come), I had decided to read, to get my mind off things. I knew I couldn't do anything at all at the moment, so I figured I could relax for the time being.

"Hey Joy." I answered quietly, moving my eyes back to my book. I still had no interest in talking to her, she was too happy.

"So, how are you?" She questioned, biting her lip in the process. I put my book down, knowing I couldn't flee from the conversation. Even when I was angry, I didn't have it in me to tell her off. Sometimes I wish I did, because maybe she would move on. I want her to, so she can have some sort of future. While I don't really care for her, I still don't want her ending up alone.

"As good as I can be." I replied dully, glancing down. From the corner of my eye, I could see Amber enter the room, along with Alfie and Patricia.

"Sad about Nina?" Joy asked sadly, seeming to actually be concerned. I couldn't tell if it was genuine or not, but I continued to talk to her.

"Of course I am, Joy. She's my girlfriend, and she basically vanished out of thin air." I mumbled, keeping my head down. More tears were threatening to spill from my eyes, and I didn't need anyone to see them.

"You know, she probably just left the school. She's like that, making all the attention around her. That's probably why we aren't friends, we're complete opposites. I wouldn't do that." Joy responded, turning back into her usual bratty self.

Nina was _not_an attention-seeker. She was actually someone who absolutely _hated_ getting attention, she tried to hide from it. She didn't like all eyes on her, and I knew that. She liked to be in the dark, hiding away from others.

But Nina definitely wasn't shy. She talked to nearly everyone. She just didn't like being what everyone talked about.

"Did you really just say that?" I whispered loudly, finally glancing up to meet her eyes. She had an annoyed expression plastered over her face, which nearly made me cringe.

"Nina wouldn't ever just leave! She would tell one of us, not leave us worried sick! And if she did leave herself, why would there be blood on her bed sheets? Why would there be a towel soaked in chloroform her floor? What is your explanation for that? Do you honestly think she set it all up, just to stir up some drama? What is wrong with you? Nina never did anything to you, yet you always torment her!" I shouted, standing to my feet. Some of the other students had filed into the room, which I assumed my voice had lured in. Joy was staring at me blankly, not a word coming from her.

"She told me about the threats," I murmured, closing my eyes, remembering the fear Nina had. I almost broke up with her that night, thinking that maybe Joy would leave her alone. But I couldn't do it, I loved her too much, and I could never break her heart. I did it twice before, and I wasn't doing it again. "How low could you possibly go? Threatening her? That's pitiful! Why don't you just grow up, and leave her alone?"

My voice cracked at the end, and I shoved past Eddie, who was standing in front of the door. I could hear somebody following me, but I didn't acknowledge them, I just went into my room, and slammed the door shut.

As soon as the door closed, I slid down against my door, breaking into sobs.

I just want my Nina back.

* * *

_*If you don't know who Ezio Auditore da Firenze (what a name!) is, he is the white-hooded guy in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, which I have never played. I just watch Tobuscus, and he did a literal trailer on it two years ago xD_

_Awww, he cried at the end. That made me sad, I hate when Fabian cries. It's heart-breaking._

_Can't wait till the next update? Shoot me a review, and my magical fairy assistant will send you a preview of the next chapter._

_Woohoo, we made the last review goal! Raising it to eleven ;)_

_Write you soon :)_

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

**_Next update: July 8th, 2013_**

**_Early update: July 5th, 2013_**

**_Reviews required: 85 reviews total_**


	9. Chapter 8

_**This chapter is dedicated to 'pieface98', who is the author of 'The First Experience'. They are one of my favorite authors, who actually commented on one of my stories (To Forget)! I didn't notice until more recently, I died of happiness! Anyway, they did leave, but you should check out their stories!**_

* * *

_I dropped a tear in the ocean. The day you find it is the day I will stop missing you._

_- Anonymous_

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

_Fabian's POV_

"Why are we having yet another meeting?" Alfie complained, sitting down. "Last time we were here, we did absolutely nothing but sulk! Shouldn't we be out there, actually looking for Nina?"

Amber hit the side of his arm, and Alfie whimpered, rubbing where she hit him. She smiled to herself, looking satisfied.

"Well, Amber and I have more information on this hooded guy." I stated clearly, making sure to get everyone's attention. After I had my private meltdown, I decided the rest of Sibuna really needed to know about the video over Nina's phone. We were still waiting for another video, which we were only assuming we would get.

"What kind of information?" Patricia questioned back, hope clear in her voice. I smiled slightly, I was glad she had it. I wasn't sure if I really had any hope, which is terrible to say. I wanted no more than to find Nina, but I wasn't sure at all if we could do it. These weren't teachers we're against, it's a man who knows what he's doing, a complete wacko.

"Well, the hooded man is named Mr. A, and he hacked Nina's phone, which let us have a video conversation with him, even though I'm not sure if he saw us…" Amber started out, before going into her own thoughts. She actually seemed to be trying to sort it all out in her head.

Patricia and Alfie both waited for her to continue, but Amber stayed in her thoughts. I decided to take over, not knowing how long she would be in them.

"Either way, we saw Nina, she seems to be hurt. He said something about how the worst has yet to come, but that was about it." I responded, trying to see if I missed anything. He really didn't give us much, but apparently, whatever this was, hasn't even really started. What was the worst to come? He already kidnapped Nina in the middle of the night.

Nobody said anything for a while, everyone silently searching through their mental notes, trying desperately to pull something valuable out. The fact was that there was nothing, and we would just have to wait.

"I'm sorry, Fabian." Someone murmured, causing me to get out of my trance. I eventually realized it was Amber, who had started shaking. I could see where she was heading; it was the same path I took yesterday.

"No Amber, you-"

"I should have been in my room! None of this would have happened, and Nina would be safe with us!" Amber cried, tears freely cascading down her cheeks. Alfie reached over and hugged her tightly, and I glanced down.

I didn't want her taking the blame. If it was anyone, it was me. I had known something bad was happening, but I didn't do anything. I let it go, because I thought it could wait. But I was wrong, so so wrong.

I refused to bring any of my sorrows into Sibuna. I know it wasn't Amber's fault that she started crying, but I wouldn't let myself act negatively around them. None of them knew Nina like I did, but they were all great friends with her, and that was hard.

I hear a familiar static sound, and whip my head to the side, glancing at Amber's side table. It was Nina's phone, having another fit.

Wait, that meant a call from Mr. A!

A wave of hope rushed through me, and I reached over and grabbed it, waiting for Mr. A to come around with his infamous hood. The others looked at me questionably, but Amber moved away from Alfie to gaze at the screen.

"Is it a video?" Patricia asked, and I nodded fast, waiting for it to show up. Patricia and Alfie came closer to me, as I kept the phone tightly in my hands. How long was it going to spaz before it showed up?

The phone let out a scream similar to the one before, and all of us jumped. I was never going to get used to that.

It was like a ringtone that only stopped when it wanted to. It would get to the call on Mr. A's terms.

Nobody said anything when Mr. A's hooded face came on to the screen, you could have actually heard a pin drop. Victor would have been very pleased with the silence we were giving off.

"Oh, so I see the whole gang this time. Sibuna, is it?" Mr. A sneered, giving off a dark laugh. "Nice to meet you all, even though it's indirect. Don't worry, we may soon come face-to-face."

"Tell us what you want, you creep!" Patricia exclaimed, already getting fessed up with the man's actions. He only continued his laugh, swinging the camera over to the left, taking his hidden face out of the picture.

We could now see Nina, who was currently strapped to a chair. She was once again unconscious, unaware of her surroundings. But what really set me off was that she was restrained by ropes, which also was holding something else.

That freak strapped a bomb on her. The clock clearly stated the time of twelve hours.

"Nina!" Amber yelled, grabbing the phone for me. I glanced up at her, what was she doing? Nina seemed to be completely out of it, she wasn't going to respond.

But how dare that psycho strap a bomb to her. What was the point of that? What did he gain from killing an innocent teenager? All he would be looking forward to would be a life in prison… If he was caught. But I wouldn't let him set that bomb off, I don't know how I would do it, but Nina wasn't going to turn into ashes on my watch.

Mr. A brought the camera back towards him, and smirked. I was positive he could see all four of our reactions, and was probably satisfied with all of them. This is what he wanted, to scare us. This had to be one of his main sickly goals.

"Tick tock, goes the clock. You have twelve hours exact, Sibuna. Figure out my clues, or the girl gets it." He scorned. I could hear Nina mumble some inaudible words in the background. I didn't dare say anything; I didn't want him touching her.

"Fabian and Nina are quite a couple, oh yes. Maybe the spot where it first began could aid you. Have fun on your search, Sibuna."

And with that, the screen went dead.

* * *

_Dun dun dun! Sort of a cliffhanger, but not entirely! Well, Sibuna is in some deep shiz now! They got twelve hours to save Nina, or she goes cablooey! I don't know how to say that, but they said it on TUFF Puppy.._

_Reviews mean you care, send me one, sharing your deepest thoughts about our Sibuna's predicament. Do you think they can manage to save Nina in twelve hours, while keeping their minds in check? Responses will be given, and previews as well, courtesy of Jess' fairy assistant._

_We were two reviews off of the early update, WAHHH. But can't wait to reach 100, eeeppp! _

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

**_Next update: July 18th, 2013_**

**_Early update: July 15th, 2013_**

**_Reviews required: 93 reviews required_**

* * *

**_If we get to 100 reviews (LOL GUISE WE WON'T), I'll update the 12th xD_**


	10. Chapter 9

**_This chapter is dedicated to '__Fabina43va__', the writer of 'Meant to Be'. It's one of the cutest college Fabina stories I have read, so you should definitely check that one out! _**

**_Also, the hours remaining on the bomb, as well as the time, are now going to be at the beginning of the story. Thought it would help for the effect._**

* * *

_Know how to live the time that is given you._

_- Dario Fo_

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

_12:00 hours left, 7:00 PM_

_Fabian's POV_

When Mr. A hung up, I suddenly had the urge to take the phone, and throw it straight into the wall. I couldn't believe what was going on; first he kidnapped Nina, and then strapped a bomb to her! And now, he is forcing us to search through his clues, so we can find her! And if we don't figure them out in the next twelve hours…

No, we would figure them out. All of them. I would not lose my Nina to this psychopath. Not now, not ever.

Everyone moved away from Amber, who was still clutching the phone in her hand. I could tell her temptations were similar to mine, but I could also tell she knew better. That phone was the only connection we had, and we couldn't save Nina without it.

"Okay, so we have twelve hours to save Nina, or that bomb on her goes off?" Alfie asked us, his expression confused as he settled next to Amber. She finally put the phone down, setting it in the middle of our circle. She didn't say anything.

"Yeah." I breathed, glancing down.

"What was the clue again?" Amber questioned quietly, moving her gaze to the phone. I knew what she was waiting for, but knew better than to wait for it. Mr. A wasn't going to help us with these clues, we were lucky we were even getting them. We were on our own.

"He said that Fabian and Nina were quite a couple, and that maybe the spot where it first began would help us." Patricia recalled, before I could answer her myself.

I had no idea which location he meant, there were so many. Did he mean when we first met, when she bumped into Joy, Patricia, and I? Did he mean the first time we kissed, which was at the school dance? Or did he mean another time, maybe somewhere at Anubis? He wasn't specific enough.

"That could be so many places!" I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. I should know the answer to this, it was my relationship! The clue might have not been specific, but it was completely straightforward!

Everybody thought to themselves, trying to figure out the location. We had no time for it, every second we wasted, was a second less we had until Nina's bomb went off. Then it would be all over, I'd be over, I wouldn't even know how to live if it happened.

"We should definitely try the attic, that's where they really started talking, right? I mean, you guys did get close from the Sibuna mission." Patricia mentioned. Maybe she was right, that was really how Nina and I became friends, and how we eventually began dating.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and we all stood up, exited the room. As we did, I put a timer on for twelve hours, so we could keep track of our time. It was very valuable, we really couldn't waste it. Not even a moment of it.

"Wait, we don't have the key!" Alfie whispered, once we all got to the door.

He certainly didn't remember what we were capable of.

Amber smiled and rolled her eyes, before grabbing a bobby pin from her hair. A few seconds later, the door to the attic was wide open, ready for us to explore.

Everyone piled up the stairs, and started frantically looking around. It was easy to notice that everyone was desperate to find whatever Mr. A had hid, but I didn't say anything, I was doing the same exact thing. This was real, this was serious.

"Did any of you guys find anything?" Amber asked, moving away from a pile of boxes. Everyone shook their heads, and I glanced back down at my watch. We havealready killed half an hour. What if this wasn't the right place? What if the right location wasn't even on campus?

"Wait!" Alfie suddenly yelled softly, grabbing something from one of the boxes. I rushed over to him, waiting to see what he found. All I could do was hope that it was Mr. A's clue, so we could get closer to finding Nina.

When his hand came back up, he was holding an old doll that had a pull-string in the back. Patricia and Amber walked over, curiously waiting for someone to pull the string. Alfie noticed this, and forked the doll into my hands. I gave him a look, before pulling the string.

_"A little girl, Sarah was her name. Her mother and father left her, so sad. They were trying to get back to her, but Anubis decided to pay them a visit. Let's put on a play my puppets, let's put on a play. Sincerely, Mr. A."_ The toy spoke, its voice speaking in a taunting sort-of way. I was just grateful we found it, I seriously didn't believeit was in the attic.

"Well, that's so obvious." Amber stated, rolling her eyes. It took me a minute to realize why she already knew the answer, but then it hit me. He was talking about the play they put on! Nina had been the one who wrote it, I remember that! It was such a long time ago.

"The play! Of course!" I responded, putting the doll back down. "It has to be the drama room!"

"Let's go then!" Patricia replied, before we all ran out.

Eleven hours, fifteen minutes left.

* * *

_Ooo, the clock is slowly ticking away! That must be so stressful. I'm assuming some of you guys here are waiting for some whump, and if you don't know what whump is, it's "A fandom term, commonly used by fan fiction authors to describe physical and/or mental abuse laid on a character in a story" (Urban Dictionary). I shall have that, don't you worry :') What's a stressful story like this without whump?_

_Reviews mean you care, so leave one! I read all of them, and also respond to them all! Well, my fairy assistant does. So shoot me a review, and my fairy will respond to you, and give you a preview as well! Yay for you, two things for chu!_

_We nearly made it to one-hundred reviews, I didn't even think we would get the goal, let alone that! We got **fifteen **reviews for that chapter! :) Of course, my goal won't be that high, but :) Yay!_

_We are obviously in the bottom-half of the story D: Ahh, I hope you're all enjoying it! This is the stressful, suspenseful part :x_

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

**_Next update: July 25th, 2013_**

**_Early update: July 22nd, 2013_**

**_Reviews required: 108 reviews_**


	11. Chapter 10

**_This chapter is dedicated to '__GetPitchSlappedNeonTrees__', because their story 'Anything Could Happen' simply sounds amazing, though I haven't had the time to read it yet. Also, they have the coolest nickname! I mean, what is it? A reference to both Neon Trees (They are awesome :')), and Pitch Perfect (Also awesome :'))? Whatever it is, I love it :)_**

* * *

_I feel that everyone has a Hulk inside, and each of our Hulks is both scary and, potentially, pleasurable._

_That's the scariest thing about them._

_- Ang Lee_

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

_10:35 hours left, 8:25 PM_

_Nina's POV_

I couldn't believe what Mr. A was doing. The last time I was awake, he introduced himself to me, and told me _exactly_what he was doing. That's why when I woke up with a bomb on my lap, I didn't freak out. I let my feelings loose the moment he told me, knowing he wasn't lying.

The pain I was in was _excruciating_. My head was still pounding from the bat, and I had bruises all over my body, from places he had either punched or kicked me in. I don't understand why he was beating me; why was it necessary? Did he feed off of my cries? Knowing that psycho, he probably did.

I kept slipping in and out of consciousness. I was positive it was from the head trauma. Out (run- on)of everything, it was the most serious injury I had. It hurt the most, and it caused me to have the inability to stay awake. It also made me dizzy when I was awake, and I could do nothing about it.

I glanced around, the bare walls driving me mad. There were no windows, no pictures, no anything. There was only emptiness, complete and utter emptiness. It made me uncomfortable, and maybe even slightly claustrophobic.

I heard a door open and shut, and my eyes moved towards the door. It had to be Mr. A; nobody else knew about the location. I instantly gazed away, not wanting to have any sort of eye contact with him. He was a monster. Though really, his eyes were hidden.

"Awake again, I see?" He sneered, walking towards me, but stopping about half-way. He still had his hoodie on, with the hood up, so you still couldn't see anything but his mouth. I had no idea who was keeping me hostage, for all I know, it could be some old guy who has a grudge against Victor. I have absolutely no way to figure out his age.

I didn't respond; he didn't deserve my answer. He deserved to rot away in some prison cell, where all the other person abusers and murderers lived. He would be happy there, among his own kind.

"Not going to answer, are we?" He taunted, making his way to my chair. He leaned his face in, forcing me to stare at him. It was a bit weird; seeing that I could only see the darkness of the hood. But it didn't fail to terrorize me.

I have never been more scared in my life. Nothing was scarier than a psychopath holding you captive, and keeping a bomb strapped to you in the meantime.

"You will answer me, or else!" He screamed, making me flinch. He was so close to my face, I could feel the spit coming from his mouth.

"There is nothing to say." I stated quietly, before his fist collided with my jaw. I let out a cry of pain, but I couldn't do anything. I couldn't move a muscle with the constraints on me; my arms and ankles were tied.

Mr. A stepped back, glancing at the bomb. I had no idea how much longer I had; my head couldn't reach to see it. That made it even worse, not knowing when I was going to become nothing more than ashes. I have pretty much accepted my demise by now.

Mr. A had told me about the others having clues, but I doubted they would get them. I had no idea what they were, but he was a confusing person, and obviously crazy. His clues would be nearly impossible; at least, that's what I think. I just pray that maybe the bomb is defective, and I'll make it out alive.

Another frightening thing I had to worry about was Fabian. If I died, I had no idea what he would do. He was always the person to bottle up his emotions, but I worried that if I did parish, he would do something stupid. I just hoped if it came to me being gone, Amber or someone would make sure he was safe.

"Your friends have started the quest." Mr. A suddenly whispered, rubbing his hands together. "Too bad they are too idiotic to realize it's a trap. Shame, they are such clever children."

Why would he trap them, when he wanted them to come here? Doesn't he think before he makes his plans? And if he harmed any of them, I would be sure to personally kill him. He would not touch my friends; not any of them. He already had me; there was no reason to hurt them as well.

"You kill any of them, you're dead." I murmured, unable to speak any louder. I don't remember the last time I had something to drink, but my throat was as dry as heck. I would kill for some water right now, just anything to quench my thirst. Hunger wasn't as big of a problem; I couldn't eat anything if I wanted to. My stomach wouldn't allow it.

Without even seeing his eyes, I could sense thathe rolled his eyes. He then turned away from me, heading towards the door. On his way out, I couldn't help but notice a phone slip from his pocket. He didn't seem to notice, and left, leaving it right on the floor.

I couldn't tell Fabian and the others where I was, but I could warn them. That was the best I could do. But the question was, how would I get to the phone with all of my restraints?

The only possible way I could get over there, would be by knocking the chair over, and hoping it got me right near the phone. I also had to land correctly, or there would be a possibility of screwing up the bomb. I doubt it would stop; it would probably skip forward, or worse, got off immediately. I would have to make sure not to land straight down.

I would also have to suffer more pain, but I had to deal with it. Fabian and everyone else's lives were in danger, and if I could stop it, I would. Even if I had to live with another injury to the head. I was pretty sure it wouldn't hurt me too much, seeing that there wasn't too much of a fall.

I took a deep breath, before using all my might, and started moving the chair back and forth. It didn't take very long to knock over, and I was lucky enough to land right next to the phone. I was also able to successfully land without touching the bomb to the floor.

But as soon as I did hit the ground, my head hit against it, making me scream out in pain. I prayed that Mr. A didn't hear me, I didn't need him taking the phone away from me, or beating me once more.

The phone he dropped had a touch screen, which was a huge positive for me. I had no control over my arms and legs, so I would have to use my nose to dial the number.

It was already unlocked, so I started typing the numbers. Once I had it dialed in, I hit the call button, and the familiar ringing tone soon rang throughout the room.

* * *

_Cliffhanger! Haha! I always feel so guilty when I do that, but then again, it won't be too long! _

_Will Nina save everyone? Or are they really in danger? Or did Mr. A possibly leave the phone there on purpose? Tune in for the next update to find out!_

_Can't wait several days for an update? Leave a review! And somehow, magically, my fairy assistant will deliver it to you._

_If you haven't learned, I have multiple fairy assistants. This week, my fairy assistant that is helping me is named Fina… Haha, can you figure out why? Not too hard xD_

_And yay, we made the early preview, and over one! :) I never commented on a certain something last week.. About Cory Monteith. For the last week, I've been pretty sad about it.. While I haven't watched Glee in a long time, he was my ultimate favorite character. I can't even think about how much pain Lea is in.. They were supposed to get married _. Sigh. Also... Since then, Talia has also passed away. If you aren't sure who that is, she was a thirteen year-old who was an aspiring make-up artist, and had been on Ellen. That broke my heart... Hasn't been a very good week. RIP Talia and Cory ~_

_Any heck, on a happier note, IDK if I said anything about this last chapter, but I just LURVE my profile. I have my favorite Psych quote up, with a new icon from it :) You should check it outt. Okay.. See you soooon._

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

**_Next update: August 1st, 2013_**

**_Early update: July 29th, 2013_**

**_Reviews required: 120 reviews overall_**


	12. Chapter 11

**_This chapter is dedicated to '__Olivia94__' once more, for letting me use her ideas! A big chunk of this chapter involves clues she set in her story! So woohoo!_**

* * *

_Guilt is anger directed at ourselves - at what we did or did not do. Resentment is anger directed at others - at what they did or did not do. ~_

_- Peter McWilliams_

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

_10:35 hours left, 8:25 PM_

_Fabian's POV_

Everyone started making their way to the school, all of us being excessively discreet. This 'adventure' was going to go on way past ten o'clock; we would have to somehow sneak past Victor's curfew**. **I'm going to solve this mystery; I refuse to lose my Nina to this psycho.

"We have about ten and a half hours left." I mumbled, keeping myself behind everyone. Patricia glanced at me as we walked, and nodded, showing me that she heard. I know telling them the time makes everyone more worried, but they needed to know. Every second we had mattered, every minute we wasted grew us closer towards failing.

The time itself made me mad as well. I could literally see the time slipping from our palms, into Mr. A's.

The school came closer in to view, and we all went up to the door. Amber reached her hand out to open it, but I quickly stopped her.

"Hold on, I took a key from Victor." I murmured, reaching my hand into my hoodie pocket.

"When did you take that?" Alfie asked me, as I opened the school door. We all filed in, and I reached to turn on the lights. It was so different when no one else was around, not one person was in the halls, other than us. Just four-fifths of Sibuna.

"Doesn't matter; let's just get to the drama room." I stated, and we all headed into the drama room.

When we got there, we instantly started looking for clues. None of us were sure on what they would be, so we had to look through everything.

While we searched, 'Starry Eyed' began to play. I knew it was Amber's phone, and I swiftly went over to her. She was looking at it confusedly, before she picked it up. I stayed over by her, curious on who it was. I assumed it was an unknown or private number, which could easily be Mr. A. But we did have Nina's phone with us, why would he contact us on Amber's?

"Hello?" Amber questioned quietly. I waited for her to tell me who she was, and she stared at me while she waited to find out herself. I could see her hands were trembling, she was probably thinking it was Mr. A related as well.

I have never hated someone so much. He was destroying the sanity of almost all my friends, and taking mine away from me as well. And he was obviously hurting Nina, plus he strapped a bomb to her. And I could see her case of post-traumatic stress disorder returning when we got to her. She wouldn't be the same Nina when we got her back.I learned enough from my dad to know that.

"Nina? Slow down, you aren't making sense." Amber whispered. Wait, was Nina on the other line? The moment I realized that, joy washed over me, but worry soon followed. How in the world did she get to a phone, and why was she talking so fast? Despite her being taken, she would only be doing that if something was happening.

Gosh, I hope she's alright.

"Wait, he set a trap in here?" I heard Amber whisper, her sudden panic clear despite the almost inaudible tone.

I reached to take the phone from her, but a sudden boom echoed through the drama room, making Amber and I fall to the ground, flames beginning to already erupt.

_Nina's POV_

I could hear a shriek come from the receiver, and I knew Mr. A wasn't lying. He really trapped the location. He didn't lie.

"Amber? Amber, are you alright?!" I yelled as quietly as I could, tears beginning to stream freely down my face. I was positive all of Sibuna was with her, what had happened?

I never realized that the phone line went dead, so it startled me when the phone began to ring. I jumped slightly, but quickly picked it up, hitting the green button on the screen with my nose. It wasn't any number I recognized, but what did I possibly have to lose?

"Hello?" I mumbled, and a too familiar laughter erupted from the receiver. I groaned softly, the loudness giving me a headache.

"What did you do to my friends?!" I shouted, once I knew who it was. Why was Mr. A calling his own phone? Unless…

"I did absolutely nothing, actually. But you on the other hand… Well, you just set a bomb off right at their exact location." He responded, seeming to have a calm tone for what he was telling me. But what the heck did he mean? I didn't do anything!

And a bomb?!

"You see, I needed a signal inside the school for the bomb to go off, and your call did just the trick. I could have easily done it myself, but I would have to look up one of their numbers, but why do that when you're right here?" He stated, laughing again. I turned away from the phone, letting myself fall back into sobs.

I just killed my friends. It was all _my_ fault.

* * *

_Boom! Unless you actually read the Psych story 'A Little Birdie Told Me', you have just been shocked! Ooo! What do you think will happen now, with Fabian and the others supposingly dead? Are they dead, or did they survive the bomb Mr. A set up? And what's going to happen to Nina, when she thinks she is the reason they're suppoingly gone? Find out next time :) _

_Can't wait a few days? Drop me a review, and my fairy a- nah, my boyfriend, Niall, will send you a response, as well as a preview! Hehehe… His last name is Horan._

_We got three reviews over the requirement (Woo!) (Sorry SkinsFan2106 for not sending a preview to you... I don't usually come on after the first two days..) We got fourteen reviews, so that will be the goal... Good luck! :)_

_And to add, you can probably see that the story isn't always formatted correctly. I try to fix it, but it NEVER stays. So blame FF for that._

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

_Next update: August 8th, 2013_

_Early update: August 5th, 2013_

_Reviews required: 137 reviews overall_


	13. Chapter 12

**_This chapter is dedicated to 'dream-always85', who apparently has a birthday today! Happy birthday gurrrrllll! xD :*)_**

* * *

_Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up._

_- Thomas A. Edison_

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

_10:10 hours left, 8:50 PM_

_Fabian's POV_

The impact of the explosive knocked me out for a few seconds, but I quickly got to my feet, ignoring the sudden aching pain in my back. Amber and I were the only two who had fallen over; the others were all coughing, coming carefully towards us.

Amber was soon standing up as well, her cheeks stained with tears. Alfie went and hugged her, and she cried on to his shoulder. Patricia didn't say anything, but continued to cough. We had to get out of here; or we were all going to die.

"Let's try to find a way out; the door is completely blocked by fire." I responded, hope draining from me as each lagging second passed. This guy was never going to let us win, never. Even if we got to Nina, who says he wasn't just going to kill all of us?

Though I was willing to take the chance, if it meant that there was a possibility of saving my girlfriend.

Alfie and Amber pulled apart, and we all separated off, trying to find a way out. The fire kept spreading, leaving it difficult to look around. I was also still looking for the clue; it had to be in here.

While I searched, I noticed a box sitting against the wall, the flames somehow not even close to it. It seemed suspicious, so I slowly made my way over. In big letters, the box was labeled with 'Nina' right on the front. This had to be the clue… But how would we get out, and take it with us?

It took me a moment to think about it, but when I pulled the box away from the wall, it revealed a small passageway. It had to be the way out; this was a part of his plan. He didn't want us dead, that's why he put it there. But what was the point of the explosion, when he wanted us out?

Did it have something to do with Nina? If he is trying to play with her emotions, he was dead. Though he was already going to be dead for all the other stuff he did.

"Guys! Over here!" I shouted, coughing as smoke escaped into my lungs. They all turned their heads towards me, and I gestured to the escape route. They all quickly ran over, all exiting one by one. I went last, dragging the box along with me. I was positive we needed it.

Luckily, we had been in there for only a couple minutes, so none of us were too needy for the fresh air. If we had been in there a while longer, we could have easily passed out, or even died.

Once everyone caught their breath, Amber came over to me, the box right next to me. She peeked over at the front of it, reading Nina's name off it. She simply shook her head, and went to open it. Alfie and Patricia joined us, worry filling their eyes.

The box was soon opened, and Amber brought her hands into the box. She then took out about twelve pictures out, and handed them to me.

I slowly looked through them, and cringed, a sick feeling growing upon me. They were pictures of Nina, _my _Nina, in a timeline sort of way, all the photos having dates. The first picture was in June 2002, and she had to have been only six years old. She was asleep on her mother's lap, on some sort of train ride. How did he manage to get these? He had to have taken them.

Despite the sick feeling continuing to get worse, I kept going through them. Each photo progressed by a year, showing some sort of moment in Nina's life. Nina with her friends, Nina playing soccer, Nina at the mall, Nina playing basketball. The one from 2011, before she turned sixteen, showed her adjusting her school uniform in her mirror, in _Anubis_. The guy followed her here, all the way from America!

The next photo was even worse, I was in it. We were talking in her room, nobody else in sight. He had seriously been in the room then? I thought we were alone, that's why I brought her up there…

The last one was the one that sent me running into the woods, making me drop all twelve photos, and upchucking whatever food was in my stomach. It was a picture from only a few days ago, when Nina and I were in the snow. He had been watching us even then.

The thought threw me into being sick once more, and my throat began to burn. The pain sent tears to my eyes, but I was able to blink them away. This was so sick; so cruel.

Mr. A had been stalking Nina for nearly _eleven_ years.

I got up slowly, making sure to move so that I wouldn't upset my stomach. Along with my throat, it seemed to be burning as well. I made sure to take my time to return back over to Sibuna. I sat back down, ignoring all of their eyes. Patricia was the only one not focused on me; she now had the photos in her hands, seeming to be studying them. I'm sure I missed something, but I didn't want to look at them again.

"What clue is hidden in these? They're just pictures. No connections, no nothing." Patricia declared quietly, placing them carefully into the box. I shook my head, moving my eyes to my watch.

Nine hours and fifty minutes remained. And all we had were some photographs.

* * *

_Well things are beginning to escalate quickly. Fabian losing his confidence in things, the rest of the group not being able to deal. Hardly any words. Just ooo. And good golly, Mr. A has been around for quite some time. Eleven years? Dayum._

_Enter a review down below, tell me what you think of this escalating problem. My fairy assistant, Larry, will send you back a response, with a preview. I'll give you two previews if you can guess why my fairy's assistance name is Larry._

_We got **eighteen **reviews for the last chapter; amazing! I just love getting reviews, and at this rate, we might actually make 200... I would die. I've been here for so long, and that has been a goal since I started. I just hope I reach it 3 But thank you if you have reviewed!_

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

_Next update: August 15th, 2013_

_Early update: August 12, 2013_

_Reviews required: 157 reviews overall_


	14. Chapter 13

**_This chapter is dedicated to everyone on my Twitter role-play. I love you all :3. Ha, I am breaking out of the writer's thing. Oh well, my story, my rules! Muahahahaha._**

* * *

_Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler._

_- Albert Einstein_

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

_9:05 hours left, 10:00 PM_

_Fabian's POV_

We sat outside near the school for a while; the fire had seemed to go out on its own. I had no idea how it was possible, unless Mr. A somehow got it. Knowing him, he probably did, and we didn't even notice. But it wouldn't have been any help to us; he would have easily been able to get out of our grasps.

He was such a sneaky person. He was able to take all these pictures, watch our every move, and somehow make a 'game' out of it all. He had to be crazy, brilliant. Someone dumb couldn't do this, it was way too complex. He had everything mapped out, and apparently, everything was going according to plan.

Eventually, we all headed our way back to Anubis, bringing the box with us. There was no point in staying outside; we could look over them in the house. While we only have about nine hours left, we were all becoming tired, and emotionally drained.

Don't get me wrong, I still wanted to find Nina. And I wouldn't stop until I did. As soon as we got to Anubis, I planned on chugging down an energy drink, to insure I wouldn't fall asleep. But I needed to sort out my own feelings, or I would end up cracking. Everything was becoming really complicated and difficult, not to mention dangerous. The past mysteries we had suddenly seemed like nothing compared to this.

Alfie opened the door for us, and we all quietly came in, nobody seemed to notice us. While it was already ten o'clock, Victor seemed to be gone. He must have already made his speech, hence why nobody was around.

We all trudged into the living room silently, and I went and grabbed an energy drink from the cabinet. Jerome stashed them there; it wasn't the cleverest of places. I had found it nearly a year ago, and occasionally I stole one from him. He never seemed to notice.

Alfie placed the box on the table, and emptied it. He then set all the photos out, moving them so it went like a timeline, using the dates. I kept my gaze away once I went over, andsat on the couch. I didn't want one look at them.

"Did anyone notice that there are numbers bolded in each date?" Amber suddenly wondered, glancing at all of us. I forced myself to look down at them, realizing she was right.

_06/_**_13_**_/2002_

_0_**_9_**_/02/2003_

_08/_**_3_**_/2004_

_04/_**_11_**_/2005_

_0_**_3_**_/21/2006_

_0_**_1_**_/18/2007_

_0__9__/**13**/2008_

_04/_**_16_**_/2009_

_07/0_**_2_**_/2010_

_0_**_5_**_/09/2011_

_03/22/20_**_12_**

_03/_**_12_**_/2013_

I grabbed a notepad, and scribbled down all the dates, circling the ones that he had bolded. The numbers had to mean something, but what? Together, they meant absolutely nothing. There had to be a secret meaning behind them.

Eddie suddenly came into the room, whistling as if he wasn't supposed to be asleep. I quickly shuffled the photos into a pile, not wanting him to get into all of this. It was bad enough we were in it.

"Being all secretive? Course." Eddie promptly responded, darting his eyes towards my notepad. He seemed to be studying the numbers, and I didn't move it away. Maybe he had the answer; I wouldn't stop him from giving it to us. But I would make sure to keep him away from the mystery itself.

"Are you trying to decode those numbers or something?" Eddie questioned. "I used to make up number codes as a kid. To figure them out, you would have to follow this code. 'A' would equal one, 'B' would equal two, and so on. Try that." He declared, before making his way into the kitchen. I watched him, and all he did was grab one of Jerome's energy drinks, and leave.

I stared back down at my notepad, was he right? Was the answer that simple, right inside of a child's game? I gazed over at Patricia, who was nervously sitting next to Alfie. Amber was leaning on Alfie's shoulder, speechless.

I quickly began to use the method Eddie gave me, which was more difficult than I thought. I soon drew out a key, making it a whole lot easier. Within minutes, a name was written down on my paper.

Mick Campbell.

* * *

_Shorter chapter. That's because I didn't want to rush into Mick's situation… So, why do you think his name is scribbled on that paper? Is he Mr. A? Is he another victim? Leave your comment in a review, and my fairy assistant, Peter, will leave you a review. _

_Larry was after Louis and Harry Styles. Saw the documentary early: Great movie. _

_My friends are strangers, that's cool._

_We didn't make the thing. Whatev I guess. _

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

_Next update: August 25th, 2013_

_Early update: August 22nd, 2013_

_Reviews required: 166 overall_


	15. Chapter 14

**_This chapter is dedicated to 'kate10011', who is the writer of the 'The Hunger Games: Gleekified Edition', which is what I based my story of 'The Hunger Games: Sibuna Edition' off of. So read that, had some cute Quinn/Puck in it! Yeah, I don't watch Glee anymore… For multiple reasons.._**

**_Once again, RIP Cory :'((_**

* * *

_Fear is inevitable, I have to accept that, but I cannot allow it to paralyze me._

_- Unknown_

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

_8:35 hours left, 10:30 PM_

_Fabian's POV_

"It's Mick." I breathed, all eyes moving to me. I bit my lip, why was his name there? My best mate couldn't be involved, could he? Or did Mr. A do something to him?

"His name is what comes from Eddie's method?" Amber asked, and I nodded slowly. She didn't say anything after that, and looked down.

Eight and a half hours.

"We should check his room then, but isn't Eddie in there?" Alfie wondered. That was correct, Eddie was in his room. Mick obviously wasn't there. But maybe there was some sort of clue of where he was, I just hoped he wasn't on the evil side of all this.

"I'll go check his room." Patricia stated. She carefully stood up, and made her way out of the room.

"I never asked after the fire… Are you guys okay?" I asked Alfie and Amber, who hardly were speaking. Amber glanced down, and Alfie nodded.

"I just really want my best American friend back." Amber murmured. I frowned at her voice, all her innocence was drained. Gone.

A sudden scream made us all jump, and I rushed to the source. It sounded like a mixture of two screams, not just one person. And it was coming from Mick's room.

Amber and Alfie followed after me, and I slammed the door open. Mick was sitting against his bed, completely unconscious, with his wrists tied together. Patricia was in Eddie's arms, both of them must have screamed when they saw him.

He struck again. How did he know that we figured it out?

Patricia began to cry, and I could see Eddie tighten his arms around her. I glanced behind me; Amber had exited the room, along with Alfie. I took another peek, and realized the back of Mick's head was bleeding from whatever he was hit with. I was positive he now had a concussion.

The blood was also fresh; I could see it glistening from the light. This couldn't have been less than ten minutes ago. I cringed slightly, seeing a blood-stained note lying next to him. I had to fight every particle in me to pick it up, and read it out loud. I ignored Eddie's presence.

"You're running out of time. Even colder you get. The answer is right in front of you. You could have seen it earlier if you happened to pay attention." I murmured, nearly crushing the note in my hand. Did we actually miss something that would have stopped this whole chase? I threw the letter into the trash, and crouched next to Mick, untying his hands. I then shook him gently, trying to wake him. He stirred slightly, but his eyes never opened.

"Eddie, could you call an ambulance? Just tell them you don't know what happened. I need to go." I asked him. He nodded, taking his phone out. He only moved one arm away from Patricia, who didn't budge.

This was all on me now. I wasn't pulling Patricia into it anymore, she obviously couldn't take it. Honestly, I couldn't either, but I had no choice. Amber was also done, and Alfie wasn't going to leave her. This was my mystery now.

Eight hours.

There were a lot of places that fit 'the beginning'. The attic is where the mystery began, but why would he send me there? The school obviously wasn't correct either, it was completely burned anyways. There was no way it was safe to enter.

What about the scene where it all happened?

I quietly left the room, passing Amber and Alfie. Amber was on Alfie's lap, sound asleep. He seemed to be as well, and I wasn't going to wake them.

I headed back up into Nina's room; nothing had been moved. The police knew Nina was gone, as well as Trudy and Victor. Why hadn't they cleaned it up? Her bed sheets were still stained with her blood.

I closed my eyes for a minute, letting the sick feeling that returned die out. My hands had been trembling since I saw the pictures, I was honestly scared he was watching me. He could easily kill me, kill Nina, he could do anything. And I was nearly powerless.

I opened my eyes after a while, and begin searching through the room. I looked through her dresser, in her bags, on her bed. Nothing had seemed to be moved, and nothing had seemed to be added. What was I looking for? An address?

I crouched back down, and peeked my head under her bed. Something seemed to be lying there, but I wasn't sure what it was. I quickly pulled it out, and cringed, seeing it was a bat stained with blood. It had to be what he struck Nina with, and maybe even possibly Mick.

I turned it around slowly, and nearly tossed it out the window. In clear black letters, an address was written down. A wink face was drawn next to it; I could hear his laughing in my ears.

I knew my blood sugar was low, but when my vision started to blur, panic shot right through me. I knew I was going to pass out, and that I couldn't stop it from happening, but I had no time for it!

I desperately tried to hang on to my consciousness, but a sudden pain in my stomach sent me to the ground, my surroundings turning into complete blackness.

* * *

_This story had a written planner out, but these last few chapters have changed so much. Such as adding a chapter, and dropping everyone but Fabian from the mystery. It seemed like they suffered enough, and since this is really Fabian's fight, it only seemed right to have him the only one left in it._

_But wow, Mick became a victim, Patricia screamed and actually cried, and Fabian's the only one who still has his head in the game. Will he be able to save Nina himself?_

_Berry the magical fairy loves talking to you, so please send away your feedback through reviews! She will happily respond, as well as give you a hug and preview! She is the nicest fairy assistant I have :)_

_Woo, we made the goal! Two chapters after this one, folks! At the moment, we have 170 reviews... 30 more until we get to my goal! :D That means at least ten reviews per chapter... I think we can do it ;)_

_So early updates will be given if we just get ten! Which is less than I usaully ask for, SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. :D_

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

_Next update: September 1st, 2013_

_Early update: August 29th, 2013_

_Reviews required: 180 reviews overall_


	16. Chapter 15

**_This chapter is dedicated to EVERY writer here on FanFiction, even out of HOA. Everyone here is amazing, and has made my life a wee bit brighter :) Thank ya!_**

* * *

_Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies._

_- Aristotle_

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

_2:00 hours left, 5:00 AM_

_Fabian's POV_

I woke up to a light shining in my eyes. When I realized it wasn't a flashlight, I shot up, and turned my head towards the window. I was still on Nina's floor, I never got up. I never woke up! What time was it?

Tears started escaping my eyes when I saw the sun, but my eyes darted to my watch. I had two hours left. Two. Why the heck did I let myself stay out so long?

I blinked my tears away, and grabbed the bat from the ground, quickly writing down the address. My hands were still shaky, but not as much as they had been. The little sleep I had got must have somewhat improved my mental state. But I would have rather not taken it; this just made it harder for me.

I ran down the stairs, nobody was around, not even Amber and Alfie. They must have thought I went to find Nina, and eventually got up and went to sleep. They were probably exhausted, because even with the sleep I got, I was finding it hard to keep my eyes open. The five hour energy did absolutely nothing for me.

I slammed the door open to Anubis, and rushed outside. I had no idea how long the drive would be, I just hoped it was less thantwo hours.

The location was only about an hour away. I wish it had been a bit shorter of a ride, but I couldn't do anything about it. My GPS had led me right to the place. It was an old house, far from any actual people. I shook my head at the location, it was so stereotypical.

I ran up to the door, and to my surprise, it swung right open. I suspiciously and carefully walked inside. It seemed to be a pretty normal house, which shocked me as well. The place seemed so normal, yet I was positive that somewhere Nina was in a chair, strapped with a bomb.

Panic seemed to be rushing over me a lot within the last twelve hours.

I took a deep breath, before I looked around. There were a lot of sets of stairs, the house seemed really puzzling. What way was I supposed to go? The only thing he had given me was the location, it was all I had. I would have to figure it out myself.

I began my way, going up various sets of stairs. Each one seemed led me somewhere else, but none of them brought me to my baby.

Before you say anything, I call Nina 'baby' all the time. I probably started calling her that a while after we started dating, I don't even remember when I did began calling her it. It must have just come out of my mouth, and that's what she became to me. My baby.

She was also my Chosen One, my everything. She had a lot of meanings to me. But not one word could describe the beauty I saw in her.

Eventually, my path led me to a crooked hallway that seemed to go down for miles. There were no rooms down it, and no pictures either. The walls were just blank. And as you walked, the hallway seemed to get smaller and smaller in width.

Just before I could start to become claustrophobic, the hallway ended, bringing me to a room. The walls were completely empty, just like the hallway. The only thing in the room was a black chair that was turned the other way. I bit my lip; I knew who was sitting in that chair.

"I've been expecting you." Mr. A snickered, swiveling in his chair suddenly. He faced me, and I jumped back when I saw him. He still had his trademark hood on, so you couldn't see his eyes. But I could tell he was staring at me.

I would have instantly attacked him, but I didn't have enough energy to do so.

"Where is she?" I shouted, sending him the nastiest glare I could. He only laughed, which made me want to stab him straight through his heart. If he even had one.

"Oh, my dear Fabian, if only I wanted to tell you. Alas, I don't, so you'll have to figure it out. Too bad you have less than thirty minutes left." He bellowed, chuckling under his breath. I couldn't take it anymore, I threw myself at him. I grabbed him by the collar, and punched him straight in the eye. He was able to get out of my grasp immediately after, and my punch didn't even mark him.

He smirked, before pinning me against a wall, and punching me in the jaw. I let out a soft cry, and kicked him in the gut. He still didn't move away from me, just threw another punch at me. I winced; it was definitely going to leave a mark.

"Why are you doing this?" I mumbled, trying to get my strength back. It was working too hot; his hits left me slightly light-headed. But I refused to give up; I would get my Nina back.

"Because Fabian, you know what you're doing. All of 'Sibuna' knows what they're doing. And with that so, why not challenge you? And I applaud you; I've had many opponents. You're the only one who got this far… But too bad, this is where it ends. Your little Nina's death is coming closer and closer. Maybe if you hadn't stopped to attack me, you would have saved her. But alas, your anger got the best of you. You failed."

I tried to lash myself away from him, but he kept a strong grip on me, making sure I couldn't move.

"And yet you continue! In less than twenty minutes, her pulse is going to stop, and it will be your fault." He whispered harshly, sending a shiver down my spine.

There was a long silence, I had nothing to say. But when I did find the correct words to show my aggravation, and slight fear, someone spoke up quietly.

"T-That's where you're wrong." A faint voice whispered nearly inaudibly, making me turn my head.

Nina was standing there, leaning against the wall. She still had the bomb strapped to her, but her legs were no longer bounded together. Her left shoulder was bleeding through her shirt, and she seemed like she was going to pass out any second.

The surprise of Nina's appearance gave me enough time to send one last punch at Mr. A, and he fell to the floor. I kicked him a few times just to make sure he was out, and ran over to Nina.

"How did you get the rope of your arms?" I stammered out, hardly being able to comprehend the fact she was standing right in front of me. I know she was strapped to a chair, how in the world did she get herself free?

"I-I don't know…" Nina murmured, blinking her eyes a few times.

I moved my attention to the bomb; I had no idea how to disable it. But Nina then murmured "He told me that he had a switch for it."

I nodded, glancing around for it. Nina's bomb kept blinking, there was about twenty minutes left. I eventually found the switch near his chair, and switched it off. The clock then stopped, frozen at 0:16:08. And it would never move from that spot, it would forever be stuck at sixteen minutes and eight seconds.

I unknotted the rope around Nina, and moved the bomb away. She didn't say anything, but her eyes watered, and soft sobs escaped her lips. I frowned, and pulled her into a loose hug, not wanting to injure herany more than she was. She flinched slightly, but didn't pull away. A few tears escaped my eyes as well; I really thought that I was going to lose her. But yet at this moment, she was safe in my arms, and I never wanted to let her go.

"I thought you were dead! Nina stated as she sobbed. I rubbed her back softly, and she hugged me tighter.

That's why he had the explosion at the school. He meant for Nina to call, and maybe when she did, that's what triggered it. He wanted to put the blame on her. He wanted her to feel like she killed her friends.

"Shh, none of us are dead, Nina. He just wanted to scare you." I whispered softly, not moving a muscle. She didn't say anything after that, but eventually she let go, and leaned back against the wall, I could recognize the look. She fainted once before in Chemistry, it was the same expression. I knew she wasn't telling me something, but I couldn't figure out what she was hiding.

"Nina? Nina, what's wrong?" I said quickly.

"S-Shoulder, he shot me…" She whispered, before she tumbled to the ground.

* * *

_Next chapter is the last one! I changed the ending entirely, but I decided for once, Nina would be able to get away herself. They always have the girls be a 'damsel in distress', so why not have her be able to save herself? Though she still wasn't able to get the bomb off herself but she was shot, so come on, can't blame her on that one._

_Next chapter will NOT be offered a preview for. Though my fairy assistant Stewie will be delivering responses to your reviews, so please tell us what you think!_

_How did you like the ending though? Would you have preferred Nina being saved completely by Fabian? Maybe if it is wanted enough, I'll post an alternative ending :)_

_But probably not; I'm lazy as fook._

_We only need **14** more reviews to hit my goal! So that'll be the goal... Muahaha._

_~JessIsTheBest~_

* * *

_Next update: September 8th, 2013_

_Early update: September 5th, 2013_

_Reviews required: 200 reviews overall_


	17. Chapter 16 - Story Finale

**_This chapter is dedicated to all my reviews, readers, and followers! This story was a pleasure to write, and very different from all my other ones, and it was great to have you all here for the ride :') Hope it was a good one!_**

* * *

_It's hard to watch people change right in front of you, but the hardest part is remembering who they used to be._

_- Unknown_

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

**The Finale**

_Fabian's POV_

Nina was sound asleep; lying peacefully in the hospital bed she was given. I sat on the chair next to her silently, not bothering to wipe any of my tears away; nobody was around to see them. I took Nina's hand lightly, and squeezed it softly. Her skin was so pale, and all it did was bother me.

But even so, she still looked _flawless._

When I had called the ambulance, they took Nina right to the hospital. Eventually, the police returned to the house, only to find that Mr. A was gone. It had seemed as if _nobody_ was ever in the house to start with. I couldn't understand, even if Mr. A woke up, I doubt he could have been able to manage that all so quickly. The police just figured he was able to flee, despite him not having much time.

After we got to the hospital, Nina had to have surgery on her shoulder. She also had to get stitches on her head, and was diagnosed with a severe concussion. They said she would have to be in the hospital for a while, and eventually they would test her emotional state.

Nina seemed to go in and out of consciousness, but every time she was up, I was right next to her. She was usually confused when she woke up; the doctor had told me she would be. He told me her brain was healing, and she would eventually wake up completely, and her health would start to go back up, and her confusion would subside.

Nina eyes flickered open, but I still ignored the tears falling down my face. She frowned at me; she didn't seem confused. It seemed as if something clicked, and she knew exactly what was going on. I didn't say anything, and neither did she.

Amber, Alfie, and Patricia had all visited Nina. She wasn't awake when they came, which they were all disappointed by. I told them what happened back at the house, and they apologized for not coming with me. I told them it was alright, it just mattered that Nina was alive.

"Fabian, are you crying?" Nina whispered, sitting up slowly. She rubbed her eyes, but didn't face away from me. I could see tears starting to trickle down her cheeks, making my heart break into a thousand more pieces. I hated seeing her in pain; it literally hurt me.

"W-What if he gets me again, Fabian?" She breathed, keeping her voice low to avoid from it cracking. I frowned, ignoring my own thoughts and worries, and got up. I sat on her bed, and brought her into my lap, gently placing my arms around her. She leaned her head into my chest and cried, clinging to me. I cried along with her, wishing so much that this never happened, and that it was all just a terrible nightmare.

But it wasn't; it was all _reality_.

"He won't; he's gone, Neens. I-I promise." I slightly stammered, doing my best to make her feel just the tiniest bit better. I was so worried of her disappearing again, of him somehow getting to her. I couldn't lose her again, I just couldn't. I wouldn't let it happen again, no matter what...

* * *

In the distance, a hooded man stood, his camera in hand. He smirked to himself, as his camera made the familiar click.

* * *

_Ooo, that's the end! That's usually how a horror film goes, they leave a cliffhanger that is never solved. Muahaha! So you have no idea if Nina and Fabian return to their normal lives, or if Mr. A strikes again, or if that even is Mr. A! Haha! _

_Of course, I know, but I will never tell ;)_

_I really want to know what you guys think of this whole story! It took me quite a long time, but I'm really happy how it turned out! Maybe, one day, a sequel of some sort can come out of this. Probably not, but I'll give you the possibility ;)_

_Sorry I'm late, and I didn't respond to reviews... Been sick and shit. AND I HAVE TO SKIP MY BOYFRIEND'S BIRTHDAY PARTY. Sigh.._

___Fair well my readers, my assistants and I bid you our adieu, until we meet again._

_~JessIsTheBest~_


End file.
